We love hearing from you, so here is your chance. Introduce yourself and tell us what makes you selfsufficient 'ish'. Go on don't be shy, we welcome one and all. You can also tell us how you heard about us if you like.

Retired a while back. Moved here 9 years ago. Main aim is to keep my cost down so I can spend my money on important things.....beer and bicycles, I like quality in both. Had a few illnesses and injuries since moving resulting in some mental problems , generally referred to as bone idleness. Things have improved about a year ago when I bought a springer spaniel to work as a gun dog. She needs a minimum of 2 hours exercise a day resulting in a decent amount of foraging. Fungi being my main forage. If nothing about I fill my rucksack with wood. Looking to increase my foraging knowledge to include plants for eating. Already big into Sloe Gin and had one successful year on elderberry wine.
Have bought a bit of land behind my house about 4 years ago but have done nothing with it, as it needs terracing due to being very steep. That's my big project for this year....what's yours?

The terrace sounds like a pig of a job but an exciting one too! Much like you I am also starting a garden from scratch this year (it is a small field) and so far have planted windbreak hedges, got the greenhouse up, chooks installed and cut veggie beds. Have hit a roadblock because at the moment Wiltshire is one sloppy, claggy clay mess! So we can't actually walk on it - oh well.

Looking forward to hearing all about it. Will you have any chickens? Have you grown veg before?

"A pretty face is fine, but what a farmer needs is a woman who can carry a pig under each arm"

I grow veg in a small front garden. Only tomatoes and herbs. Salad leaf, toms and sweet peppers in conservatory. I dehydrate loads of tomatoes and put them in olive oil with herbs. Give them out as presents. Normally leave them for a year before using or giving away. My aim with the garden is to have a crop I can sell in the pub or to the pub. No chance of selling outside my house as it is a no through road. I am thinking asparagus?
Wouldn't dream of having chickens to much work specially as lots of eggs available in village.
"Wiltshire is one sloppy, claggy clay mess! So we can't actually walk on it " Are you going to go for raised beds?
Lincolnshire Wolds isn't flat. Wolds is old English for hills....so I am told!

I didn't want to go for raised beds - I have found them a bit of a fiddle in the past but I don't think I have much choice.

Even the green manure seeds failed to germinate in the clay - I find the odd field bean seed rotting away now and again. So yep, as soon as it is OK to work on, I will build some raised beds and get in yet more compost.

"A pretty face is fine, but what a farmer needs is a woman who can carry a pig under each arm"

[quote="bonniethomas06"]I didn't want to go for raised beds - I have found them a bit of a fiddle in the past but I don't think I have much choice.

Even the green manure seeds failed to germinate in the clay - I find the odd field bean seed rotting away now and again. So yep, as soon as it is OK to work on, I will build some raised beds and get in yet more compost.

Wolds does sound very pretty!

"A pretty face is fine, but what a farmer needs is a woman who can carry a pig under each arm"